Two Bits Four Bits

By Mark Cotton

Buddy Griffin, retired homicide detective, returns to his hometown of Elmore, Texas and becomes embroiled in a murder investigation when his high school sweetheart finds her husband, the president of the local bank, shot dead in their swimming pool.

Buddy soon uncovers an extortion plot, a missing female bank teller and a safe deposit box box full of dirty money linked to the local mob.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mark Cotton
• Release date: May 25, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452329642

Mark Cotton

Mark Cotton was born in Texas and grew up in southeastern New Mexico in the middle of the Permian Basin, one of the richest oil-producing regions in the country. With a background in business, he enjoys constructing stories with interesting characters and complex plot twists. When he's not writing, Mark enjoys researching and documenting local history, traveling and collecting gaming chips from casinos and long-closed illegal gambling clubs.

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Two Bits Four Bits

By

Mark Cotton

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2010 by Mark Cotton

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Two Bits Four Bits

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CHAPTER ONE

I was sleeping deeply when my cell phone rang. It was Ray, his early morning voice ragged.

Hey, bro’, I don’t know if we’re still playing golf today after what happened. Did you hear about it?

No, what? The red digital letters on the clock by the bed showed 8:38 AM.

Somebody shot Russell Chilton last night after the reunion.

Russell Chilton? The name didn’t register immediately, my brain still buzzing with the remnants of an interrupted dream.

Kandy’s husband. The banker dude. She found him floating in the pool this morning.

Aw, shit, I said. What happened?

I’m not sure of the whole story. Remember Melba’s sister Ramona? She’s been working down at the cop shop as a dispatcher and she called Melba a few minutes ago and said he got himself shot while he was skinny-dipping in his own pool. He and Kandy were both still at the party when we left last night.

Ray and I, along with Ray’s wife Melba, had attended the first event of a high school class reunion weekend at Elmore Country Club the night before. Ray Garcia and I were best friends in high school, and played football together for the Elmore High Drillers.

Yeah, I remember, I answered.

I had seen Kandy sitting on a couch in the lobby of the country club as we passed by on our way out the front door at one-thirty that morning. Russell Chilton was visible in the small side room bar just off the lobby, laughing with a group of local businessmen who were obviously too old to be our classmates. I remembered thinking he looked like a guy who was friends with everybody in town. I guess I was wrong about that.

Kandy Chilton was been my high school sweetheart two and a half decades earlier, and Ray had been teasing me about seeing her again since plans for the reunion were announced.

You wouldn’t believe how hot she looks, dude, he would suddenly say, when we were talking about something entirely different.

I hear that Russell guy she’s married to runs around on her. You’ve probably got a chance to move in on that action and become Mr. Kandy.

And, even though I dismissed Ray’s ribbing, I had been mildly interested in seeing what had become of the woman I was once determined to marry. At the reunion the night before, I was talking to a couple of former classmates when Ray grabbed me by the arm and pulled me away urgently.

They’re here, man, he’d said, nodding toward the ballroom entrance. Kandy and Russell Chilton.

An attractive woman with dark red hair was standing with a tall well-dressed man just inside the doorway engaged in introductions with two other couples. I could tell it was Kandy from across the room, even with the change in hair color.

So, she changed her hair, I said. Interesting.

Yeah, dude, he said. I think she looks hot. I just love redheads.

I had watched her for a few seconds, thinking how strange it was that I’d known her so well in those high school days, yet knew nothing about the woman she had grown into. We hadn’t been in contact since our breakup the summer after graduation. After going together for so long, we were both ready for the split when it came, being from different worlds and neither of us willing to leave our own behind. I wouldn’t put up the social facade that was necessary to fit in with the people in Kandy’s crowd. Their behavior felt like fakery to me and I refused to shut out people based on their popularity or how rich their parents were.

I was just about to turn away and try to resume my conversation with the people I was talking to when Kandy Chilton looked up and caught me staring at her. She smiled and waved, and I waved back. Then, she returned her attention to one of the women in her group, who was gesturing wildly as she talked.

I followed Ray to the bar where I got my soda refreshed and then stepped outside the front door of the country club for a break from the roar of conversation. A small group of alumni were talking and smoking under the wide portico. I shook hands with a couple of people and then strolled toward the golf course. The sun had just set, but it wasn’t dark yet.

The greens had looked good from where I was standing, but the fairways had large patches of dead grass, a result of the relentless summer heat and lack of rain. The Country Club was struggling to stay open since the major oil companies relocated their offices to Midland and Houston, taking dues-paying executives with them. I’d never really cared much for the elite atmosphere of the club, but it was the only nice place in Elmore to hold a large gathering, such as the reunion. And, even with the dry fairways, the golf course was paradise compared to Elmore’s nine-hole public course.

Hey four-bits! You can tee off from here if you want, but most players start from where those markers are over there.

I knew it was Kandy Chilton without turning, from the nickname she used. I held out my hand, but she waved it away and threw her arms around me.

Buddy Griffin! I don’t want to shake your hand you big ox, I deserve a hug after all this time.

She had squeezed herself tightly against me and I’ve got to admit the squeeze I returned wasn’t something I had to force.

How you doing, Four-bits? she had said. She smelled wonderful. Some kind of subtle, but no doubt expensive perfume mixed with the clean scent of soap.

I’m doing great, Two-bits, I answered, using the pet name I’d given her on our first date, a play on one of her pep rally cheers. You’re looking good these days. Whatever you’re doing sure agrees with you.

Well, it’s a constant struggle, she laughed. It seems like I spend more time at the gym and the beauty shop every year just to keep from losing ground.

I hear that, I said, patting my belly. Hey, I saw your husband in there. He looks like a great guy.

Oh, he is. I wouldn’t trade him.

Ray tells me he’s president of the bank now.

That’s right. Daddy convinced Russell to come back here to work for him when we were living in Dallas. Russell was practically running the bank by the time Daddy passed away.

So, do you have any kids? I asked.

Two girls. Heather just finished her junior year at Baylor and Megan starts at Georgetown in the fall. She’s going into pre-law and got a summer job as an intern at a law firm in D.C.

They sure grow up fast.

Isn’t that the truth. I can’t tell you how quiet it is since we don’t have the girls at home anymore. I guess we’re turning into those empty-nesters they’re always talking about. The privacy is nice for a change, but I sure do miss them. What about you? Didn’t I hear that you had a son?

Daughter, I said. Adrienne. She’s going to medical school at Texas Tech. Her mother’s dad is a retired doctor.

Is your wife here?

No, we’ve been divorced about eight years.

What’s her name? Is she from here?

Peg Avery. She grew up in Austin.

That’s right. Somebody told me you were a policeman in Austin.

I was a homicide detective up until a few months ago, retired after twenty-three years.

Retired. It sounds strange for somebody our age to be retired. It makes it sound like we’re getting old. So, are you still in Austin?

Yeah, I still haven’t decided what I want to do next. I’ve been doing some work for a private security company, but I’m taking time off to wrap things up with my parents’ estate here.

We’ll have to have you over for dinner then. I’m sure Russell would love to meet you. But, I’ve got to warn you, he may try to talk you into going to work for him. He’s fired two of his tellers this past year for embezzling.

I’ll look forward to it. Is he playing golf with us tomorrow?

I think so. Russell never misses a chance to play golf. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve called him at work before three in the afternoon and been told he’s gone for the day.

As we walked back to the building, she hung onto my arm and it felt for a second as if we were back in high school again.

It sure is good to see you again, she said. Are you coming to the dinner and dance tomorrow night?

Wouldn’t miss it, I said.

Good. You’ve got to promise to save a dance for me.

You can bet on it, I said.

Inside, she excused herself and headed off toward the ladies room and I went back to the ballroom to rejoin the festivities. I had enjoyed seeing Kandy again, but it just reminded me of how different we were and made me grateful that we hadn’t gotten more seriously involved than we did. I knew there would never actually be an invitation to dinner with the Chiltons. But, that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Common courtesy dictated that Kandy bring up the possibility of a dinner invitation, and that I do my best to appear eager for it to be offered. But, we both knew that the only thing Kandy Chilton had in common with a retired cop from the wrong side of the tracks was a frivolous high school romance and a pair of pet-names, Two-bits and Four-bits.

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CHAPTER TWO

With the news of Russell Chilton’s murder, Ray and I agreed that we’d skip the golf tournament with our classmates that afternoon. I told Ray I was going to pay a visit to Kandy to offer my support and I wasn’t sure how long I would be there. As a former homicide investigator, I was interested in learning more about how the death occurred.

So, an hour after learning of Russell Chilton’s death, I drove through the streets of an upscale neighborhood located in the southwest part of town, searching for Kandy and Russell Chilton’s house number. The Chilton residence was a large brick home with high, arched windows and immaculate landscaping. There were at least a dozen cars lining the street in front of the house, including two Elmore City Police Department cruisers, a van with police department markings and a big white Ford sedan that had all the earmarks of belonging to a plainclothes detective.

A large well-dressed older woman who introduced herself as a neighbor of the Chiltons met me at the door. She led me into a large formal living room where several people stood in a group talking quietly.

Kandy’s in with the police right now. Can I get you some coffee while you wait?

I declined, and stood looking out the window at the pool where Russell Chilton died. Three young men, who probably represented the entire staff of the Elmore PD’s forensics team, were working around the yard, making measurements and taking samples of pool water and soil from the garden area beyond the pool. Black fingerprint powder stained the edges of the pool in several places. Yellow police tape blocked access to the pool area from the house. The pool water had a red tinge to it. Beyond the pool, the back yard was lavishly landscaped and surrounded by an ivy-covered wall that was easily nine feet tall.

A heavily paneled pocket door slid open behind me, and I turned to see two men in sport coats and golf shirts emerge from a small sitting room, where Kandy Chilton sat talking with John Donnelly, a local attorney I was using for my parents’ estate. The men both nodded at me, and then went out the back door to join the forensics team. When Kandy saw me, she stood and began walking away from Donnelly, who was still talking. Wearing a look of urgency as he spoke, Donnelly stopped in mid-sentence and changed his expression to one of solemnity when he noticed me.

Thank you for coming, Kandy said, giving me a tight hug. Her eyes were bloodshot and she looked much older without her makeup. She smelled freshly scrubbed and her hair was damp and combed flat.

I’m so sorry, Kandy. Is there anything I can do? I asked as I shook Donnelly’s hand.

No, I don’t think so, she said. The girls are both flying in. One of my girlfriends is going to meet them at the airport.

She looked off toward the kitchen, fixing her eyes on something there.

Oh God, I can’t believe it, she whispered, her voice breaking. They loved their Daddy so much.

With that she broke down and sobbed loudly. The woman who had met us at the door rushed over and guided Kandy to the sofa, where they sat and rocked together quietly. Donnelly was standing by the large window that looked out on the pool. I joined him.

This is horrible, I said. Was he in the pool when he was shot?

Donnelly looked at me for a moment. I could see the wheels turning in his head. It was an odd sensation, watching the attorney I was using for my parents’ estate try to decide how much he could share with me. His instinct as Kandy Chilton’s attorney told him to treat me as if I were still in law enforcement.

It’s too early to tell, he whispered, glancing toward were Kandy sat. But, they think he probably was.

How many shots?

They’re still trying to sort things out.

Did Kandy see it happen?

No. Russell wasn’t in bed when she woke up this morning. She took a shower and decided to go check on him when he hadn’t shown up by the time she finished. Apparently he was in the habit of taking a swim early in the morning, so it wasn’t unusual for her to wake up alone.

Do they have any idea who did it? Or why?

No. Still too early.

He glanced around and lowered his voice.

Confidentially, Russell Chilton had more than one run-in with jealous husbands over the last few years.

Oh, by the way, I said. Are we still meeting for lunch today?

He looked at his watch and paused.

I should be able to make it. We may be a couple of minutes late. I’ve got your cell number in case something comes up.

Those guys you were talking to earlier, Elmore PD?

Uh huh. The older one that looks like Robert Duvall is Bob Clemmer, and the muscle-bound kid with him is Reese Puckett.

They any good?

They really are, he said. They’ve got a pretty good track record as far as murders go. But, they work other types of crimes too, so sometimes they’ve got more on their plate than they can say grace over.

We stood watching them for a few minutes, and then Donnelly thanked me for coming and then went back to sit with Kandy. I offered my support again and then excused myself. I glanced out the back window on my way out and saw the three members of the forensics team huddled over an area of patio halfway between the house and the pool with the two detectives standing nearby watching.

Something in Donnelly’s comment about jealous husbands set off an alarm in my head. I spent my law enforcement career dealing with people and trying to read their minds by their actions and words. Donnelly’s comment, coupled with the urgent look on his face during his private words with Kandy troubled me. I had a vague feeling that he intended his comment to divert attention away from Kandy as a suspect. In any unsolved murder, especially one that takes place in the home, the spouse is always a prime suspect in the early stages of an investigation. Although Elmore saw very few murders, and it was probably rare for Donnelly to be involved in a murder defense, he was smart enough to know he needed to get out in front of any suspicions about Kandy, no matter where they originated. He knew about the class reunion, as I had mentioned it to him on the phone a few days earlier, and I suspected he was planting a seed about Russell Chilton’s infidelities in the hope that any reunion gossip about a murder suspect would move in that direction. I may have been overestimating Donnelly’s skills as a defense attorney, but my street instincts told me he was trying to play me.

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CHAPTER THREE

The home I grew up in was a big ranch style house sitting on a couple acres of dried tumbleweeds, five

Reviews for Two Bits Four Bits

[brknhrt_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The main character is a likeable and interesting former homicide detective not quite sure what he wants for his future. He returns to his hometown for a reunion and to tie up some family matters. When the husband of a classmate is murdered, Buddy finds himself in the middle of the investigation. I enjoyed the detail of some of the detective work that Mark Cotton provided in this mystery. Most mysteries overlook those details and just go for action, but I enjoyed getting immersed in the creative work of a detective. There are many characters in Two Bits Four Bits that I see in regularly in small town America. I especially enjoyed the addition of the three older guys that met at the local restaurant every morning for coffee and gossip. This is a good mystery with several suspects that reaches a satisfying conclusion. Buddy is a character that you look forward to seeing in a book series and I hope more are in the works.